Wind and Water
by Little Mimie
Summary: OneShot Kurogane frowned. ‘How long is he planning on staying there?’ he thought, arms crossed to his chest. Fai wants to think, he does it under the rain. Kurogane just wants to sleep. Mild ShonenaiKuroFai


_**May 19, 2006  
Little Mimie: My first Kuro/Fai fic. I hope that the characters weren't too OCC. Anyhow, please enjoy! R & R! **_

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**Wind and Water**

Fai anticipated the rain. It wasn't that he liked rain; it was just that he felt a little relieved when it came. The sound of the soft pitter-patter outside soothed his ears, making a small (if not complete) distraction from the anxious beating of his heart. Storms were even better; he could hide underneath the harsh rainfall and nobody would ever come disturb him. That way he could think. Tonight was no different.

Fai inhaled sharply. It was a nice feeling. He stretched out his hand, instantly feeling wetness hit hard onto his palm. He smiled, stretching out another hand. It went on like that for a couple of minutes, before the blonde decided to completely step outside.

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

Kurogane frowned. '_How long is he planning on staying there?_' he thought, arms crossed to his chest. The kids and the manjuu were already fast asleep so why was he still awake? That was the question that kept popping into Kurogane's mind all night, ever since the fool decided to take a shower outside. "Tch."

Glancing briefly at Fai, he turned and walked back inside. This after all, wasn't his business. With _Souhi _securely at his side, he moved himself to lie on his back. _'If Fai got himself out there, he sure the hell can get himself back in on his own.'  
_

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

_You're making a fool out of yourself._

"I am not."

_Get in, now._

"I won't." A smile.

_You're waiting for someone?_

"Perhaps." A pause. "Maybe no one..."

_Oh. But you're lying. There is someone, isn't there?_

"..."

_Kurogane. _"Not him." Fai opened his eyes, smile gone. "It was never him."

_Liar. You were expecting him to come get you. Take you inside; reassure you that everything's going to be fine, weren't you? _

Stop.

_How pathetic, even for you. _

Stop.

_He's not coming..._

_He hates you._

"STOP!"

Fai lunged forward to nothing in particular. He found himself falling forward and then hitting the ground. It was painful.

"Aa..." Just realizing that he was talking to himself, he laughed out loud. "I must be losing it." He muttered.

"Damn right you are." A gruff yet familiar voice replied. Fai recognized it immediately. He turned around and came face to face with the ninja.

"Kuro---?"

"What are you doing?" Kurogane grabbed his shoulder and turned him round, making the blonde face him. A look of surprise was registered into Fai's face, before he realized that rain wasn't hitting him anymore. For a moment, Fai felt his heart had stopped beating.

"Tch. Get up."

Kurogane tugged on Fai's collar to force the mage up. Fai let himself be pulled up but put no effort at all to keep himself standing tall, much to Kurogane frustration. "Damn you! I said, get up!" Kurogane dropped his umbrella and used his other hand to grab Fai's arm.

Once he did so however, Fai began to shiver violently. Kurogane stopped and blinked. "Oi..."

Fai looked up to him, eyes losing all the cheerfulness they once possessed. Droplets of tears began to form in his eyes and that, just made Kurogane freeze.

Fai titled his head upward and reached up to touch Kurogane's face. "Kuro-myuu...I---" And suddenly, the world began to blur around him and without much of a warning, Fai collapsed.

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

"Darn mage, so troublesome." Kurogane grunted whilst cradling Fai in his arms. He was glad that the manjuu was asleep. He didn't need that stuffed pork bun to witness such an act of kindness. '_Wait! I'm just doing this because I don't want the kid and princess to worry about the mage.' _Kurogane mentally corrected himself. '_Hell, they'd blame me if the bastard died.'_

Shaking his head, he settled Fai comfortably in bed and proceeded to undress him. '_Damn! This is getting annoying.' _Kurogane thought as he loosened the red bow tie circling Fai's slender neck. He then began to unbutton Fai's polo shirt, noting that it was sticking to Fai's skin. In fact, Fai's hair seemed to be doing the same. Again, Kurogane shook his head, focusing instead on finishing his task.

When Kurogane had undressed, dried and re-dressed Fai, he shifted the mage's position into a more comfortable one and left the room to get changed himself.

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

Fai moaned, opening one half-lidded eye. As soon as he did so, the world started to spin around him. And there was a throbbing pain in the back of his head too. Where was he anyway?

"You."

'_Kurogane's voice_' Fai thought. He tried to position himself upward to greet the ninja.

"Good morning, Kuro-pon..." Fai said, voice hoarse.

The ninja looked at Fai disapprovingly before crossing the room and handing him a glass of water. "It's still dark out."

Fai smiled. "Aa. So it is." he replied and happily gulped a mouthful of fresh water.

There was silence for a few minutes; neither man wanted to talk or, knew what to say. Kurogane decided to break the awkward silence. "You, why did you do that?"

Fai looked up innocently, trademark smile plastered in his face. "Do what Kuro-min?"

Cursing, Kurogane seated himself at the edge of the bed. He looked straight into Fai's eyes, not wanting to catch the mage in a lie. He repeated his question again, this time with more emphasis. "Why?"

Fai shivered inwardly at Kurogane's gaze. '_If looks could kill, then I'd dead by now.'_ Still, he kept up his façade. "Kuro-pon's acting so silly! Asking such random questions---"

"Damn it! Quite acting like you don't know what the freaking hell I'm talking about!" Kurogane snapped, grabbing Fai's hand in the process. "You know damn well what I was asking. Explain. Now!"

Fai's jerked back unconsciously, eyes wide. "I—" he started.

Kurogane sighed. This conversation was leading to nowhere. He lost control. A ninja should keep their tempers in check, he was aware of that. But somehow, the mage always knew where the end of the line was for Kurogane. He tried a different approach.

"Fai—"

"I-I'm sorry." Fai said suddenly. His voice quivered. "I didn't---"

Kurogane was silent, seeing the mage like this, with his mask gone, was rare. Selfish as it sounds, he treasured moments like this, and wished that it would last as long as it could.

"It doesn't matter." He finally said, dropping the mage's hand and moving his to Fai's forehead.

"You, have a fever."

There was a pause, before a pale hand gently touched Kurogane's own. "You're right." Came the weak reply.

"Hn."

"Kurogane? Why?"

Fai's sudden ability to use AND pronounce Kurogane's name properly told the ninja that the mage was being serious. He decided to play along.

"Why what?"

"Well," The magician was at lost for words. That was a first. "You...I mean----did you bring me here?" he blurted and oddly enough, Kurogane found it cute.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

A pause. Kurogane breathed in sharply, trying hard to restrain the embarrassed blush from appearing. "You collapsed, that's why; and it was a pain in the ass to drag you all the way up here too."

Fai chuckled, albeit a little forced. He did not say anything to interrupt, obviously wanting to hear more.

"And...I wouldn't have left you to catch your death outside."

For a moment, Kurogane caught hope (or was that happiness) in those blue eyes. He decided that he might have been _too _gentle.

"That would've made the princess and the brat worry. And the little steamed bun annoy me."

Fai looked at him and Kurogane saw query in those eyes. _What about you? I want to hear your version of why._

"You'd better get some rest." He said instead, pulling his hand away from Fai's. The mage said nothing but continued to look ahead.

'_He would never let this go.'_ Kurogane sighed. Muttering a soft curse, he searched his pockets and found what he was looking for.

"Here." He said, tossing a small pouch to a confused Fai. "It'll help lower your fever." Fai caught it simultaneously and opened the pouch. It contained pills and a receipt. He smiled.

Kurogane watched as Fai took one of the tiny pills and swallowed it. _'Great, mission accomplished. Now, sleep.' _He turned to leave but was stopped by a hand on one of his wrist. "What now?" he gruffly asked.

"Thank you."

And that was it. When he turned around, Fai was snuggling in bed, asleep. "So troublesome." Kurogane muttered. He gently placed Fai's hand that was still holding unto his wrist on the sleeping mage's side.

Before closing the door to his room, Kurogane whispered: "I won't let you die. I'd never be able to sleep again, if I do."

(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)(X)

As soon as he heard the door click, Fai opened his eyes. "Kuro-mii, you can be so caring sometimes."

Sleep had never felt so good that night.

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_**I ended it in a cliffhanger! Comment please:D**_


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